DRIPPING SPRINGS – After finishing in third place in district, the Runge Yellow Jackets faced the Milano Eagles in the bidistrict round of the Class 1A Division II playoffs on Friday night. Though Runge held their own in the first half of the game, the Eagles, behind the play of their quarterback Jordan Millar, defeated the Yellow Jackets by the score of 41-18. With the loss, Runge’s season ends with a 7-3 overall record.

“Our kids played like we have all year,” said Runge head coach Matt Wright. “I was proud of the effort. I thought they represented our school and community well. They’re upset, obviously, but we’re proud of the kids.”

The Eagles scored the lone score of the first quarter as Millar passed to David Jentsch for the touchdown, with the ensuing extra point putting the score at 7-0. Runge countered in the second quarter as Corey Barnes scores on the ground, though the ensuing extra point was no good, which put the score still in Milano’s favor at 7-6. The Eagles countered with Millar scoring his first rushing touchdown of the contest. The extra point extended Milano’s lead to 14-6. The Yellow Jackets countered with the final score of the first half as, with under a minute to go until halftime, Runge scored on the ground, though the failed conversion left the halftime tally at 14-12 in favor of the Eagles.

Scoring in the third quarter did not occur until late in the period. The Eagles extended their lead as Millar passed to Nick Bonorden for the touchdown through the air, with the extra point putting the score at 21-12. The Yellow Jackets countered with their final touchdown of the contest as Barnes scored on a 60-yard run. The extra point was no good, leaving the deficit at 21-18. Milano countered with a 35-yard run by Millar, with the extra point putting the score at 28-18 after three quarters of play.

Unfortunately for Runge, the fourth quarter was all Milano. Millar scored two more rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter, from 37 and 63 yards away, and the Eagles converted one out of two extra points in that span to put the final tally at 41-18. Statistics for the game were unavailable at press time.

“Our plan was to be able to keep the ball from the opposing team and gain chunks of yardage,” said Wright. “I felt 95 percent of the game plan was executed perfectly. Their quarterback is a playmaker and he continued to make plays with his feet. We didn’t tackle very well and that was the result.”

Despite the loss in the first round, Wright said the success of this football season will help the Yellow Jackets throughout the remainder of the school year.

“I think that it will be a springboard into basketball and baseball,” said Wright. “A bunch of our kids did not want to be done with football. They were still wearing shoulder pads on the bus home. They’re going to compete throughout the year.”